Fishing apparatus and sheave therefor

ABSTRACT

A power sheave for continuously pulling a line, the sheave having a pair of spring-loaded disks with facing convex surfaces for grasping the line.

United States Patent [1 1 3,635,441 Haines 5] Jan. 18, 1972 [54] FISHING APPARATUS AND SHEAVE [58] Field ofSearch ..43/6.5, 8, 15; 254/137, 138, T F 254/150, 186, 190, 175.5, 175.7; 74/230.l7; H OR 226/177, 188 [72] Inventor: William B. Haines, Freeport, Nova Scotia,

Canada [56] References Cited [73] Assignee: Norman S. Blodgett, Worcester, Mass. a UNITED STATES PATENTS part interest 2,651,210 9/1953 Clark ..74/230.17 I 1 Flled= APL23,1969 3,193,254 7/1965 Minnick ....254/150 pp No: 1 ,843 3,250,514 5/1966 Hamalalnen 254/138 Primary Examiner-Harvey C. Homsby Related pp Data Att0rneyNorman S. Blodgett 63 C t t' f .N.476,63, .2, 95, l 1 on mua 1011 0 Ser 0 2 Aug 1 6 aban ABSTRACT doned.

A power sheave for continuously puliling a line, the sheave [52] US. Cl ..254/l38, 74/230.17, 43/5, having a ir f spring-loaded disks with facing convex 43/8 43/15, 226/188 254/190 faces for grasping the line. [51] Int. Cl. ..A01k 73/06 5 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures PATENTEUJWBHYZ 3,635,441

sum 1 [IF 5 IT'VEL'TUR. YWILLIAM B. HAINES V ATTOR EY PATENTEDJANWBTZ 3 535 SHEET 2 BF 5 YWI LLIAM B HAINES ATTOR Y PATENIEH mi 8 i372 SHEET 3 BF 5 WlLLlAM BHAlNES ATToRNY PATENTED JAN 1 81972 SHEET b [1F 5 L 'IfTJTUR. WILLIAM B. HAINES ATTOR Y sleaiaml PATENTED JAM 8 m2 SHEET 5 OF 5 IXYEYTOR. WILLIAM 5. HAINES IFlISI-IING AIPPARA'ITUfi AND fiI-IIEAVE TIIEIIIEFGR REFERENCE TO COIPENDING APPLICATIONS This application is a continuation of US. Pat. application Ser. No. 476,263, filed Aug. 2, 1965, now abandoned.

There are many situations where it is desirable to exert a pulling force on a rope or cable in one direction only but to release the rope in the other direction without tension. It has been possible to do this in the past by use of a capstan having a rotating drum on which the rope is turned three or four times; the friction between the rope and the drum produces tension on the rope on one side but permits the rope to be taken off loosely on the other side. However, large forces are not possible without such a capstan being very large because of the slippage in the rope. As a matter of fact, in most capstans it is necessary to maintain at least a slight tension in the rope on the output side. Also, if the rope is anything but a plain straight rope, difiiculties are experienced; that is, if one attempts to pass a fishing line carrying branch lines and hooks over a capstan, the hooks and branch equipment become tangled. Attempts to accomplish such operations in. the past have been unsuccessful because the apparatus has been complicated and very expensive. When intricate apparatus is used in commercial fishing, it fails to operate effectively because of icing and because of salt spray covering the parts. These and other difficulties experienced with the prior art devices have been obviated in a novel manner by the present invention.

It is, therefore, an outstanding object of the invention to provide a fishing apparatus in which an endless fishing line may be carried continuously through a fishing vessel.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a fishing apparatus including a sheave adapted to be mounted in a fishing vessel for exerting a continuous tension in one direction on a fishing line while the line passes through the vessel, which sheave operates, despite the fact that the line is provided with hooks and the like.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of a sheave which operates on the bight of a rope producing tension in one direction and no tension in the other direction, while the cable moves continuously through the sheave.

It is another object of the instant invention to provide a sheave for producing a force on a line and pulling it continuously without the necessity of wrapping the line around a drum several times to produce traction friction.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a sheave which is capable of hauling in lines, even though the lines carry accessory equipment, such as branch lines and the hooks.

A still further object of this invention is the provision of an apparatus permitting continuous fishing.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a fishing apparatus used in commercial fishing wherein fishing takes place by use of a continuous loop of line to which are attached branch lines and the hooks and in which the apparatus provides for continuously passing the line through a boat and providing for the removal of fish during the passage through the boat.

With these and other objects in view, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art, the invention resides in the combina tion of parts set forth in the specification and covered by the claims appended hereto.

The character of the invention, however, may be best understood by reference to one of its structural forms as illustrated by the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of fishing apparatus embodying the principles of the present invention; 1

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view of a sheave forming part of the apparatus;

FIG. 3 is a horizontal sectional view of the sheave with certain portions removed, taken on the line III-III of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4i shows a hook and attaching means used in the apparatus;

FIG. 5 shows the manner in which the hook is attached to a main line;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a storage drum;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a guide forming part of the apparatus;

FIG. 8 shows a boom forming part of theapparatus;

FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of hydraulic circuitry used in the apparatus; and

FIG. 10 is a somewhat schematic diagram of an alternative method of operating the apparatus.

Referring first to FIG. I, which best shows the general features of the invention, the fishing apparatus, indicated generally by the reference numeral 10, is shown in use with a commercial fishing boat Ill. The boat II is provided with a bow I2, a stem 13, a starboard gunwale I4, and a port gunwale 115. Slightly forward of amidship is a cabin 16 containing the main drive engine I7.

A portion of the boat 11 between the cabin I6 and the stem 13 is occupied by a fish storage compartment I8, a portion of which is covered by a deck 19. Mounted amidship is a boom 21 which is hingedly mounted in the hull of the boat on a pivot pin which allows motion transversely of the ship; that is to say, the pivotal axis extends longitudinally of the boat.

Mounted at the upper end of the boom 21 is a power sheave 22 driven by a hydraulic motor 23. A suitable guy 24 extends forwardly from the top of the boom 21]. to a fitting 25 at the stern of the boat so that the cable returns to connect to an intermediate portion of the boom. Similarly, a guy 26 is connected from the top of the boom 21 to a fitting 27 located adjacent the stern I3 of theboat and the cable returns to an in tennediate portion of the boom 21. Mounted on the starboard gunwale M slightly astem of the cabin 116 is a guide 28, while a fish stripper 29 extends upwardly from the deck 19 at the center of the boat. Mounted on the port gunwale 15 is a guide pulley 31 for a purpose to be explained llater. Mounted on the deck 19 just behind the cabin 16 is a storage drum 32.

FIG. 2 shows the details of the power sheave 22. It consists of two dish-shaped discs 39 and All mounted concentrically and arranged to curve away from each other. The disc 39 is welded to a hub 412 which, in turn, is connected to a drive shaft 43 driven by the motor 23. A disc All is also welded to a hub 44, which hub consists of a disclike plate 45 extending transversely of the axis of the shaft 43. To the periphery of the plate 45 is welded a tubular portion 46. The hub 42 from which the disc 39 extends is provided with a cylindrical outer peripheral surface d7 which fits loosely within the innersurface of the tubular portion 46 of the hub 44. The hub 44 and the hub 42 are provided, respectively, with axial bores 48 and 49 through which extends a bolt 51 which is threaded at both ends and which is provided at these ends with nuts 52 and 53. A coil spring 54 lies between the nut 52 and the corresponding side surface of the hub I2. Similarly, diametrically opposite portions of the hubs d2 and 44 are provided, respectively, with bores 55 and 56 through which extends a bolt 57 on the ends of which are threadedly mounted nuts 58 and 59. A coil spring 611 lies between the nut 58 and the hub 42.

The hub 42 is rigidly connected to a frame 62 through the shaft 43 and the frame 62 is provided with a horizontal flange 63 underlying the discs 39 and AI. A bore 64 is located immediately under the axis of the shaft I3 and in the vertical plane common to the discs 39 and 4B. Lying on the upper surface of the flange 63 is a disc 65 having a central bore 66 which is concentric with, overlies, and is the same size as the bore 64 in the flange 63. Extending through the bores 64 and as is a bolt 67 held in place by a nut 68. As is evident in FIG. 3, the disc as is provided with an arcuate slot 69 which is concentric with the bolt 67; a bolt 71 extends through the slot, is mounted in the flange 63, and extends vertically therefrom. The bolt 7ll carries a nut 72 to permit locking of the disc 65 relative to the flange 63. Extending upwardly from the upper surface of the disc 65 are two shafts 73 and 74, carrying rollers 75 and 76, respectively. Suitable bearings are provided between the shafts 73 and 74 and their rollers 75 and 76 to provide for relative rotation. As is evident in FIG. 2, the shafts are inclined inwardly and upwardly to bring the cylindrical surfaces of the rollers 75 and 76 tangential to the convex facingsurfaces of the discs 39 and 41. In the preferred embodiment, the angle between the shafts 73 and 74 and the horizontal upper surface of the disc 65 is approximately 60.

FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate a typical branch line 34. The main line 33 is provided with a becket 70 consisting of a loop of line material having a weaker breaking strength than the main line 33 and tied at its ends to the main line to form a loop. Connected to this loop is a so-called'West Coast" snap 80 formed of wire and adapted to snap into the loop of the becket 70 quickly. The lower end of the snap is attached a spinner 90 formed of lead and having considerable weight, at the lower end of which is pivotally attached a barbed hook 100.

In FIG. 6 it can be seen that the storage drum 32 consists of a vertical shaft 77 to which is fastened a small lower transverse disc 78, an intermediate size middle disc 79, and a large top disc 81. It is interesting to note that the top disc is provided with slots 82 to permit ready attachment to the lines. In the preferred embodiment, the main line 33 carries a branch line every Zfeet.

A guide 28 is shown in detail in FIG. 7. A plate 83 is fastened to the starboard gunwale 14 and is provided with two parallel spaced flanges 84 and 85. Between the other ends of these flanges is rotatably mounted a roller 86 and extending. upwardly from the boat behind the roller 86 are two vertical.

posts 87 and 88. Mounted between the flanges 84 and 85 above the plate 83 and the gunwale 14 is a horizontal roller 89. Trunnions of the roller 89 are also carried in bearings 91 and 92 fastened to the surface of the gunwale 14.

FIG. 8 shows the boom 21 as it appears from the front of the boat 11. It consists of a beam made up of a heavy rod 93 which is joined by braces 94 to a thinner strengthening member 95. The lower end of the rod 93 is hingedly connected to an L- shaped support 96 mounted in the boat and can be moved angularly by means of a hydraulic cylinder 97 extending between the support 96 and the rod 93. The member 95 is tubular and has connected to its lower end a flexible hose 98 which is connected to a-source of hydraulic pressure (not shown). At the upper end of the boom 21 is mounted the power sheave 22 held in its support 62 and carrying the motor 23. Suitable line guides 99 are fastened to the support 62 adjacent the power sheave 22 to control the main line 33 and the branch lines 34 attached to it. The drawing shows clearly how the line 33 is guided by the pulley 31 sothat it enters the pulley about 90 from a vertical line through the center of the shaft.

FIG. 9 shows clearly how the hydraulic elements are connected together and controlled. The hydraulic motor 23, which drives the sheave, has been described before, as has the hydraulic cylinder 97 which operates the boom. Also included in the hydraulic apparatus is a hydraulic motor 101 which is used to operate the storage drum 32, which is used for handline operation. The main pump 102 is driven by means of its pulley from the main motor of the boat. It receives its oil from a sump 103 through a filter 104 and a line 105. The pump is connected by a bypass line 106 to a return line 107 returning oil to the sump 103. From the pump 102 extends a high-pressure line 108 connected to a double-acting threespool valve 109 having relief ports connected to the return line 107. The valve 109 is connected to opposite ends of the cylinder 97 by lines 111 and 112. Similarly, the valve is connected to the motor 23 by lines 113 and 114. Line 113 has a valve 115 to regulate the flow to the motor 23 and, therefore, to regulate its speed. The valve 109 is also connected to the motor 101 by lines 116 and 117, the line 116 having a valve 118 to control the flow of oil from the valve 109 either to the line 116 or to the return line 107 to control the speed of the motor 101.

FIG. shows somewhat schematically the manner in which the handline 36 would be arranged. The handline would come through the guide 28 and through the fish stripper 29, pass over the deck of the boat and extend downwardly through the hole 37 (see FIG. 1) below which is arranged a pulley 119. The line would go forwardly to the guide roll 38 and transversely across the boat to the storage drum 32.

The operation of the apparatus will now readily be understood, in view of the above description. First of all, it is necessary to understand the operation of the power sheave 22 and, for that purpose, reference is made to FIGS. 2 and 3. Line or rope enters the space between the two discs 39 and 41 at a point from the top. At that time, there is a gap between the two discs adjacent the hub 42 similar to the gap shown at the bottom in FIG. 2 except that it is, of course, smaller. As the disc 39 is rotated, due to the action of the motor 26 operating through the shaft 43, the line will be carried with it and will be squeezed between the disc 39 and the disc 41 because of the pressure of the springs 54 and 61. At the upper portion of the sheave, although no gap is shown in the drawing between the discs 39 and 41, the line will be clamped tightly due to the pressure of the spring 54. This is because of the fact that the discs are spread apart at the bottom by the rollers 75 and 76. As the disc 39 continues to rotate, the particular section of the line in question will pass from the top of the sheave down to a point 90 from the top on the other side, i.e., from the point where it entered. At this point, the gap between the two discs begins to appear again and the line leaves the sheave. The point at which the line will first be squeezed and held between the two discs 39 and 41 and the point at which it will cease to be squeezed between the two discs is determined, to a great extent, by the gap introduced by the rollers 75 and 76. The amount of contact with the line and the amount of friction applied to it as well as the gap between the discs 39 and 41 at the bottom can be adjusted by loosening the nut 68 on the bolt 64 as well as the nut 72 on the bolt 71. When this has been done, it is possible to rotate the disc 65 about the axis determined by the bolt 67 and to adjust the axial distance between the points of contact of the roller 75 with the disc 39 and the roller 76 with the disc 41. When such adjustment has been made, the nuts and bolts are tightened and the machine has been suitably adjusted. Certain adjustments may be made in the amount of pinching of the line by the discs 39 and 41 by adjusting the nuts associated with the bolts 51 and 57 to adjust the tension in the spring 54 and 61.

It will be seen, then, that the sheave 22 performs the func tion of producing in a line or cable a tension in one direction while permitting the line to pass free of tension in the other direction. A line simply passes between the two discs 39 and 41 as they rotate together through approximately 180 of rotation. All the friction that is necessary to produce the force in the line is produced by the spring 54 and the gap introduced at the bottom of the sheave between the two discs by the rollers 75 and 76. It will be understood that, although the disc 39 is driven through the hub 42 by the shaft 43, the disc 41 is driven, at the same time, because of the bolts 51 and 57 passing through the hub 42 and through the hub 44.

In connection with FIG. 1, it can be seen that the main fishing line 33 passes from the starboard side of the boat to the port side of the boat in a continuous loop. The line first passes through the gap 28 and through the fish stripper 29. It then passes through the guide roller 31 over the sheave 22 and back to the water. Since the main line carries branch lines 34 with hooks and, possibly, bait, a guide 99 is provided to assure that, as the main line approaches the sheave 22, the branch lines are carried over the side of the sheave and are not carried through the throat of the sheave itself. As a matter of fact, the guide 99 carries the branch lines 34 so that they drape over the upper edge of the disc 39 and pass to the left of the sheave 22, as it is observed in FIG. 1. It can be seen, then. that, when the apparatus is operated properly, a single operator may be used and even he will have little work to do. The fish are stripped between the posts of the fish stripper 29 and fall into the fish storage compartment 18. In connection with the storage drum, it is contemplated that the handline 36 be stored between the bottom disc 78 and the intermediate disc 79. Operating the handline, the operator, of course, rotates the storage drum by means of the hydraulic motor 101 controlled by the valves 109 and 118. The continuous main line 33 may, on occasion, be stored on the storage drum 32 between the discs 79 and the disc 81.

It is obvious that minor changes may be made in the form and construction of the invention without departing from the material spirit thereof. It is not, however, desired to confine the invention to the exact fon'n herein shown and described, but it is desired to include all such as properly come within the scope claimed.

The invention having been thus described, what is claimed as new and desired to secure by Letters Patent is:

i l. A power sheave for continuously pulling a line, comprismg a. a first disc mounted for rotation on a fixed axis,

b. a motor connected to the disc for the driving thereof,

c. a second disc mounted coaxially of the first disc for rotation therewith and held in pressure contact with the first disc by spring means, the second disc being mounted relative to the first disc to permit angular movement relative thereto, the disc being mounted for rotative adjustment about an axis lying in the normal plane of contact of the disc passing through the axis thereof,

d. means producing separation between the discs at one side consisting of two rollers arranged in spaced relationship so that one roller contacts one disc and the other roller contacts the other disc, the rollers being mounted for rotation on two shafts which shafts extend from a disc at an' acute angle thereto, the means producing separation causing the discs to pinch a line passing between the discs on the opposite side, and

e. means is provided for adjusting the disc about its axis to adjust the gap between the two discs. 2. A power sheave as recited in claim 1, wherein the discs are dish-shaped and are arranged with their convex surfaces 5 facing one another.

3. A power sheave for continuously pulling a line, comprising a. a first disc mounted for rotation on a fixed axis,

b. a motor connected to the disc for the driving thereof,

c. a second disc mounted coaxially of the first disc for rotation therewith and held in pressure contact with the first disc by spring means, the second disc being mounted relative to the first disc to permit angular movement relative thereto, and

d. means producing separation between the discs at one side to cause the discs to pinch a line passing between the discs on the opposite side, the said means for separating the discs at one side consisting of two rollers arranged in spaced relationship so that one roller contacts one disc and the other roller contacts the other disc.

4. A power sheave as recited in claim 3, wherein the rollers are mounted for rotation on two shafts, which shafts extend from a disc at an acute angle thereto.

5. A power sheave as recited in claim 3, wherein the discs are dish-shaped and are arranged with their convex surfaces facing one another. 

1. A power sheave for continuously pulling a line, comprising a. a first disc mounted for rotation on a fixed axis, b. a motor connected to the disc for the driving thereof, c. a second disc mounted coaxially of the first disc for rotation therewith and held in pressure contact with the first disc by spring means, the second disc being mounted relative to the first disc to permit angular movement relative thereto, the disc being mounted for rotative adjustment about an axis lying in the normal plane of contact of the disc passing through the axis thereof, d. means producing separation between the discs at one side consisting of two rollers arranged in spaced relationship so that one roller contacts one disc and the other roller contacts the other disc, the rollers being mounted for rotation on two shafts which shafts extend from a disc at an acute angle thereto, the means producing separation causing the discs to pinch a line passing between the discs on the opposite side, and e. means is provided for adjusting the disc about its axis to adjust the gap between the two discs.
 2. A power sheave as recited in claim 1, wherein the discs are dish-shaped and are arranged with their convex surfaces facing one another.
 3. A power sheave for continuously pulling a line, comprising a. a first disc mounted for rotation on a fixed axis, b. a motor connected to the disc for the driving thereof, c. a secOnd disc mounted coaxially of the first disc for rotation therewith and held in pressure contact with the first disc by spring means, the second disc being mounted relative to the first disc to permit angular movement relative thereto, and d. means producing separation between the discs at one side to cause the discs to pinch a line passing between the discs on the opposite side, the said means for separating the discs at one side consisting of two rollers arranged in spaced relationship so that one roller contacts one disc and the other roller contacts the other disc.
 4. A power sheave as recited in claim 3, wherein the rollers are mounted for rotation on two shafts, which shafts extend from a disc at an acute angle thereto.
 5. A power sheave as recited in claim 3, wherein the discs are dish-shaped and are arranged with their convex surfaces facing one another. 